Monday, August 22, 2011

[ZESTCaste] Mirchpur verdict likely on Aug 27, cops on alert

Mirchpur verdict likely on Aug 27, cops on alertExpress News Service Posted online: Mon Aug 22 2011, 03:36 hrsChandigarh : Tension is brewing up in Hisar and Jind districts ofHaryana in the wake of the expected verdict in the Mirchpur case —likely to be announced by a Delhi SC/ST court on August 27. Earlier,the verdict was expected on August 20 but the court had adjourned thecase.

Around 20 companies of the Haryana Police are camping in the twodistricts since Friday and are likely to be stationed till the comingweekend.

On Sunday, around 50,000 Jat supporters participated in the "MahaSammelan" of sarpanches and panches of hundreds of villages. Thestate-level function was attended by hundreds of representatives ofthe Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) in Jind, where Chief MinisterBhupinder Singh Hooda announced an increase in the monthly honorariumof representatives of PRIs.

Considering a large number of people camping in the two districts, theHaryana Police is getting sleepless nights. "The chief minister wascamping in Narwana, Jind and neighbouring areas for the last threedays. Be it a state-level function or meetings of Khaps or sarpanches— but a large gathering in the two districts are definitely a matterof concern for the police, especially when the Mirchpur verdict isexpected this week. Police forces of both the districts have beenplaced on high alert and the SPs of Jind and Hisar are holdingmeetings with the sarpanches and heads of communities, asking them notto indulge in any kind of law and order breach," said a senior policeofficer.

Besides the existing strength of the two districts' police forces, 22DSPs and two SPs have been deployed in the for the coming week.

The court of Kamini Lau, Additional District an Sessions Judge, Rohiniin New Delhi, shall pronounce the verdict in the Mirchpur case. Thecase, related to the killing of Tara Chand and hisphysically-challenged daughter Suman on April 21 last year — allegedlyby a mob of over 100 people, was transferred by the Supreme Court fortrial by a designated special court under the SC/ST (Prevention ofAtrocities) Act-1989 to ensure a free and fair trial.